מִשְׁלֵי 31
| דברי למואל מלך-- משא אשר-יסרתו אמו | 1 |
Words of Lemuel, a king, a declaration that his mother taught him:
| מה-ברי ומה-בר-בטני ומה בר-נדרי | 2 |
“What, my son? And what, son of my womb? And what, son of my vows?
| אל-תתן לנשים חילך ודרכיך למחות מלכין | 3 |
Do not give your strength to women, And your ways to wiping away of kings.
| אל למלכים למואל--אל למלכים שתו-יין ולרוזנים או (אי) שכר | 4 |
[It is] not for kings, O Lemuel, Not for kings, to drink wine, And for princes—a desire of strong drink.
| פן-ישתה וישכח מחקק וישנה דין כל-בני-עני | 5 |
Lest he drink, and forget the decree, And change the judgment of any of the sons of affliction.
| תנו-שכר לאובד ויין למרי נפש | 6 |
Give strong drink to the perishing, And wine to the bitter in soul,
| ישתה וישכח רישו ועמלו לא יזכר-עוד | 7 |
He drinks, and forgets his poverty, And he does not remember his misery again.
| פתח-פיך לאלם אל-דין כל-בני חלוף | 8 |
Open your mouth for the mute, For the right of all sons of change.
| פתח-פיך שפט-צדק ודין עני ואביון | 9 |
Open your mouth, judge righteously, Both the cause of the poor and needy!”
| אשת-חיל מי ימצא ורחק מפנינים מכרה | 10 |
[ALEPH-BET] A woman of worth who finds? Indeed, her price [is] far above rubies.
| בטח בה לב בעלה ושלל לא יחסר | 11 |
The heart of her husband has trusted in her, And he does not lack spoil.
| גמלתהו טוב ולא-רע-- כל ימי חייה | 12 |
She has done him good, and not evil, All [the] days of her life.
| דרשה צמר ופשתים ותעש בחפץ כפיה | 13 |
She has sought wool and flax, And with delight she works [with] her hands.
| היתה כאניות סוחר ממרחק תביא לחמה | 14 |
She has been as ships of the merchant, She brings in her bread from afar.
| ותקם בעוד לילה--ותתן טרף לביתה וחק לנערתיה | 15 |
Indeed, she rises while yet night, And gives food to her household, And a portion to her girls.
| זממה שדה ותקחהו מפרי כפיה נטע (נטעה) כרם | 16 |
She has considered a field, and takes it, She has planted a vineyard from the fruit of her hands.
| חגרה בעוז מתניה ותאמץ זרועתיה | 17 |
She has girded her loins with might, And strengthens her arms.
| טעמה כי-טוב סחרה לא-יכבה בליל (בלילה) נרה | 18 |
She has perceived when her merchandise [is] good, Her lamp is not extinguished in the night.
| ידיה שלחה בכישור וכפיה תמכו פלך | 19 |
She has sent forth her hands on a spindle, And her hands have held a distaff.
| כפה פרשה לעני וידיה שלחה לאביון | 20 |
She has spread forth her hand to the poor, Indeed, she sent forth her hands to the needy.
| לא-תירא לביתה משלג כי כל-ביתה לבש שנים | 21 |
She is not afraid of her household from snow, For all her household are clothed [with] scarlet.
| מרבדים עשתה-לה שש וארגמן לבושה | 22 |
She has made ornamental coverings for herself, Silk and purple [are] her clothing.
| נודע בשערים בעלה בשבתו עם-זקני-ארץ | 23 |
Her husband is known in the gates, In his sitting with [the] elderly of [the] land.
| סדין עשתה ותמכר וחגור נתנה לכנעני | 24 |
She has made linen garments, and sells, And she has given a girdle to the merchant.
| עז-והדר לבושה ותשחק ליום אחרון | 25 |
Strength and honor [are] her clothing, And she rejoices at a latter day.
| פיה פתחה בחכמה ותורת חסד על-לשונה | 26 |
She has opened her mouth in wisdom, And the law of kindness [is] on her tongue.
| צופיה הילכות (הליכות) ביתה ולחם עצלות לא תאכל | 27 |
She [is] watching the ways of her household, And she does not eat bread of sloth.
| קמו בניה ויאשרוה בעלה ויהללה | 28 |
Her sons have risen up, and pronounce her blessed, Her husband, and he praises her,
| רבות בנות עשו חיל ואת עלית על-כלנה | 29 |
“The daughters who have done worthily [are] many, You have gone up above them all.”
| שקר החן והבל היפי אשה יראת-יהוה היא תתהלל | 30 |
Favor [is] deceitful, and beauty [is] vain, A woman fearing YHWH, she may boast herself.
| תנו-לה מפרי ידיה ויהללוה בשערים מעשיה | 31 |
Give to her of the fruit of her hands, And her works praise her in the gates!
